The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,5

one of the stools that ran along the L-shaped counter separating the kitchen from the dining area.

"Sleeping," Harper answered, moving past her to the dining-room table to gather the cards from his game with Tiny.

"Stephanie's s ll used to mortal hours," Tiny explained, returning to the kitchen then. "So we thought it'd be be er if one of us was up with her during the day and the other up at night to keep an eye on things while she slept. I got night duty."

"They're concerned about the lack of security here," Harper explained, sliding the cards into their box and moving to set them on the counter.

Drina frowned and glanced to Tiny. "But isn't that backward? You're mortal, aren't you? Shouldn't you be up during the day and this Mirabeau up at night?"

Tiny smiled wryly. "That would have been easier all around, but it's only been this one day. Besides, while I can hang out with her during the day or night and keep an eye on her, someone has to sleep in her room, which had to be Mirabeau." When Drina raised an eyebrow, he explained, "We didn't think it was a good idea to leave her alone in her room all night. There's no fence here, no alarm . . . It could be hours before we realized she was gone if she was taken or - "

"Or what?" Drina asked when Tiny hesitated. It was pure politeness on her part, Harper knew. The woman could have read him easily enough to find out what he was reluctant to say but was asking instead out of respect.

Tiny was silent as he removed his own coat, but finally admi ed, "There's some concern that Stephanie might try to run away and get to her family."

"Really?" Drina asked, her eyes narrowing.

Tiny nodded. "Apparently, Lucian caught the thought in her head a me or two. He thinks she only wants to see them, not necessarily approach them, but - " He shrugged. "Anyway, as far as she's concerned, none of us know that, and someone has to be with her twenty-four/seven because of Leonius."

"So we are not only watching for a ack from outside, but a prison break as well," Drina murmured. "And because of this, Mirabeau has been sleeping in Stephanie's room with her?"

Tiny shrugged. "This was the first night. We only got here the day before yesterday, and Elvi, Victor, DJ, and Mabel were here then to help keep an eye on things. But they le at four this morning, so . . ." He grimaced. "When Stephanie went to bed, Mirabeau did as well."

Drina heaved a sigh, smiled wryly, and said, "Well, I guess that will be my gig from now on. I'll have a bag of blood, and then go up and relieve Mirabeau."

Harper had to smile at Tiny's expression. The man looked torn between shou ng hallelujah, and protes ng it wasn't necessary tonight and she could take over that duty tomorrow. Duty versus desire, he supposed. Tiny and Mirabeau had brought Stephanie here from New York, sneaking her from the church where several couples were being wed in one large ceremony, including Victor and Elvi. They had le via a secret exit in the church, and traveled some distance through a series of sewer tunnels before reaching the surface. They'd then driven to Port Henry, where Victor and Elvi had been waiting to welcome the girl. While Tiny and Mirabeau were officially off duty now that Drina and Anders had arrived, Lucian had insisted they stay to get over the worst of their new-life-mate symptoms. Harper suspected they would feel a responsibility to help out while they were here. They would probably even feel they should, to pay back for staying here at the bed-and-breakfast for the next couple of weeks.

"Drina's right," Anders announced, saving Tiny the struggle. "It's be er someone less distracted than Mirabeau be in Stephanie's room with her. Besides, it's our worry now. You two are off duty."

Tiny blew out a small breath and nodded, but then added, "We'll help out while we're here, though."

"Hopefully, it won't be necessary, but we appreciate that," Drina said, when Anders just shrugged. She then slid off her stool and glanced from Anders to Harper in ques on. "Which blood do I use? From the coolers or the fridge?"

"Either one," Anders said with a shrug. "More is coming in a couple of days."

Harper moved to the refrigerator to retrieve a bag for her, pulled